


We'll Live a Long Life

by CaffeinatedSunshine



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: F/M, Funeral, original fan characters - Freeform, second love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-13 21:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11768730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedSunshine/pseuds/CaffeinatedSunshine
Summary: Natalia dies, age 77. She leaves instructions for her family regarding her remains.





	We'll Live a Long Life

Tataroo Valley was still beautiful at night, still filled with selenias, still just as dangerous as it was over fifty years ago, and yet on this particular night the royal family still gathered there. A group of twelve, mostly blonde, ranging in age from their early fifties to their late teens stood in the field of flowers.

"Are you sure that this is right?" Rowan asked his uncle, glancing at the box in his hands.

"It's what Mother wanted," Caspar replied. His mother had written that stipulation in her will long ago, but reviewed it every year. This was not the decision of an old woman taken by fever and grief.

"Well, I think it's sweet," Amelia said, "Grandfather wouldn't have minded, anyways."

Caspar smiled faintly at his niece as his brother, Alfred, squeezed her shoulder. Out of all of them, Amelia resembled the late queen most; both in appearance and temperament. He could see his mother's determined expression, hazel eyes flashing- daring someone to argue with her- only so many years younger. That was the face that had his father had seen and fallen in love with. The face that had cowed errant council members and defied the Score.

His thumb stroked over the carved mahogany box in his hands. Such a small thing to house the heart of Kimlasca's late Queen Natalia.

"We shouldn't linger too long out here," Lucille said, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, "She'd never let us live it down if we were attacked by monsters while arguing about her last instructions."

"Pretty sure she'd be more surprised that you weren't starting the argument," Samuel teased his young aunt- the baby of Natalia and Peony's five children at only thirty-five years of age, and named for the two men that were the reason they were out here to begin with.

There had never been a body of Natalia's first love to mourn, only a headstone on the grounds of the Fabre manor, years of portraiture of the then-princess clad in head-to-toe black, and a burning need to fulfill a promise made on the cliffs of Baticul. Orphanages, schools, hospitals, housing developments, scholarships all bore the name 'Asch fon Fabre'. Peony had never balked at this display of love, even- Caspar thought- going so far as to encourage it. Sentients above and below only knew the man had had his own share of young love lost.

They'd entombed Natalia's body yesterday, her arthritic but still delicate hand safely clasped in the hand of her husband seven years gone. After laying in state for a week, the official ceremony had been small, consisting of just the immediate family, Guy, Tear, and Anise- the last surviving three of Natalia's closest friends. At almost eighty, Guy had barely spoken a word. Not a single tear fell from his once-bright blue eyes, though they never left the shrouded figure of the late queen.

"Cas? Are you ready?" Nicholas asked his twin- now his emperor. It was time.

The box was opened, a small cloud of gray dust raising with the lid and trailing away on the soft breeze. For a moment, Caspar swore he could smell his mother's perfume, could feel her hands drying the tears that had begun to fall without his permission. Nicholas clasped his shoulder, his hands firm as their father's.

Between the twelve of them, there were only enough ashes for a pinch each. The ashes of Natalia's heart were scattered over the fields closest to Eldrant without words.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not gonna lie, this was heavily inspired by the song 'Who Lives, Who Dies Who Tells Your Story' from Hamilton. It wasn't going to leave my head any time soon, and this is the most I've written in a long time, so I figured I'd post it, even if I'm not fully satisfied [I AM HAMILTRASH THOUGH I'M SORRY]. Please let me know what you think- I'd love to go back and rework this a bit.


End file.
